There are many varieties of rice grown in the world. All varieties of rice are classified under three categories: long grain rice, medium grain rice and short grain rice.
Long grain rice is long and slender. The length of the rice is about 4 to 5 times longer than its wide. Cooked long grain rice are separate, light and fluffy. For example, Basmati rice, Jasmine rice, etc are under this long grain rice category.
Medium grain rice is shorter than long grain rice, and its length is 2 to 3 times longer than its wide. Cooked medium grain rice is moist, tender and slightly sticky. Arborio and Valencia are the common medium grain rice.
Short grain rice is short but a bit longer than its wide. It is very easy to get confused between medium and short grain rice. Cooked short grain rice is soft, tender and sticky. Japonica rice is the common short grain rice, and it is common to be used as sushi rice.